The presence and popularity of the Byron hero today
The influence of Byron's hero is visible both in the film and in literature, and there are many works and authors who were influenced and inspired by his character. Its appeal is undoubtedly in its beautiful and attractive exterior and its accursed nature. Byron’s character was designed with the goal of pleasing readers and all of his works were intended for a predominantly female audience. At the time, the only escape from reality for women was literature, and the way Byron manipulated their emotions, using passion and savagery to paint desire, was irresistible to them. Which is not far from the truth even today. Byron's hero has become synonymous with a charming, handsome, bad guy who has a dark secret and, although he is dangerous, he has something that makes us fall for him. According to Atar Stein, "Heathcliff's romantic and erotic attraction" is "the main contribution to today's Byron hero", and erotic glamor and supernatural powers are what make modern vampire characters attractive.
In her study of the presence of Byron's hero today (The Byronic Hero in Film, Fiction, and Television), Stein argues that Byron's hero was not only alive in the second half of the 20th and early 21st centuries, but was in full bloom. , and adds that he has become so popular and ubiquitous in contemporary culture that once the parameters on the basis of which his character is defined are established, we realize that there are infinitely many examples. He mentions only some of them, such as the vampire Lestat from the Vampire Chronicles by Anna Rice, Eric Draven from the Crow, the vampire Angel from the TV series Buffy, the vampire slayer, the Terminator, Q (Q) from Star Trek, etc.
Further, Stein claims that most of Byron's modern heroes possess some supernatural powers, but that despite that they are all in some way presented as ordinary people, with many flaws and weaknesses, which leads the audience not only to respect them, but also to be sympathetic to them. . When it is already difficult for readers and viewers to be like him, they are flattered that he wants to be like them.
Moreover, modern Byron's heroes serve us as a reflection of today's social values and beliefs. Every day we make distinctions between good and evil, right and wrong, black and white, and refuse to see all the shades of gray in between. Byron's hero and his enigmatic nature lead us to reconsider these values and beliefs, because very often we find ourselves in a situation when we doubt his motives and their correctness, and still cheer for him in that fight. We may believe that violence, as a concept, is ethically wrong, but we always find exceptions. Eric Draven is one of them - his behavior may be wrong, but his reasons are certainly not. These are heroes who are not guided by their own interests, which makes them even more attractive. Even in revenge films, such as The Crow, the hero is primarily in the service of some higher ideal of justice.
In addition, the attraction of Byron's hero lies in the fact that he is the embodiment of a double human nature, which makes it easier for the audience to identify with him. Complex characters like him are far more attractive than those painted in pure light or dark colors, because human nature itself is complex. With all that in mind, it is no wonder that such characters were popular in Byron's time, that many authors have since modified and elaborated them, and that they are still popular today - perhaps even more than ever.
Nuce said absolutely right brother